Internally lined and insulated chamber



March 20, 1951 COLLINS 2,545,68$

INTERNALLY LINED AND INSULATED CHAMBER Filed April 21, 1948 192 Urz forioe'r' 3 (blleres Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICEINTERNALLY LINED AND INSULATED CHAMBER Robert B. Collins, Downers Grove,Ill., assignor to Universal Oil Products Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Delaware Application April 21, 1948, Serial No. 22,441

Claims.

This invention relates to an internally lined and insulated chamberwhich is particularly adapted to maintain a catalytic contact materialtherein for use in a high temperature conversion operation.

There are various ways of lining chambers and processing vessels wherebythe internal lining under high temperature and pressure conditions,

but to a lesser extent, or not at all, at a reduced temperaturecondition.

The present liner is particularly constructed to prevent the effect ofhydrogen on carbon'. steel at a high temperature and at the same time toaccommodate a bed of catalyst material through which is passed avaporous stream containin hydrogen. Those familar with metal corrosionand hydrogen attack at high temperatures, are cognizant of there beingcritical conditions of temperature and pressure above which carbon steelis attacked. Further, that where the steel is subject to a long timeexposure to hydrogen, then less severe conditions of temperature andpressure may be critical.

Briefly, the lined chamber of the present invention comprises a pressureretaining outer housing or shell having a removable upper head, asegmental inner liner spaced from the outer housing, the linercomprising a plurality of ring shaped sections adapted to be insertedinto the housing through the upper head, spaced supporting membersattached to the housing wall, opposing supporting members attached toeach of the liner sections which are spaced to engage and rest on themembers attached to the outer housing, a continuous strip attachedinside the top edge of the ring sections and extending a short distanceabove so that the next higher ring secs tion overlaps the strip andforms therewith a slip type of expansion joint, an insulating materialpositioned between the inner lining and the outer housing, an annularshaped insulation supporting plate positioned between the outer housingand the inner liner at eachof the slip joints, and inlet and outletopenings at each end of the chamber suitable to pass a fluid streamtherethrough.

The inner liner normally may be made of a relatively thin alloy metalwhich is resistant to hydrogen or chemical attack and to hightemperature conditions of the particular process for which the chambermay be employed. The segmental construction of the liner is such thatthe internal pressure may pass through the slip joint at each sectionand exert pressure behind the sheet lining and on the outer housing.Therefore, the alloy liner need only be of a nominal thickness and havesuitable stifiness to maintain its shape and to hold an insulatingmaterial in place between it and the outer wall. Also the method ofsupporting each of the segments independently on a sliding type of lugor bracket allows each to accommodate longitudinal and radial expansionfrom high temperature processing conditions within the chamber.

The insulation between the lining and wall is preferably a softresilient type of material such as mineral or slag wool which may be inpellet or blanket form. In each case, the insulating material is placedafter inserting each ring shaped liner section and the annular platewhich extends between the two walls is put in place and serves tosupport the next layer of insulating material. This insulating supportplate is in turn supported by a rib extending around the outer housingand a stifiening rib around the top of each inner lining section. It mayalso be noted that this annular plate serves a dual purpose, not onlydoes it support the insulating material in a series of superimposedsections, so that there will be little or no settling of the insulationthroughout the height of the column, but each of the plates serve asvapor stops throughout the height of the chamber. Vapor stops or sealsin a lined chamber are particularly necessary where there is aconsiderable pressure drop from one end of the chamber to the other andthere would normally be a tendency for a portion of the vapor streambeing treated to by-pass the contact bed and flow through the insulatedportion of the chamber.

Ina special embodiment of the liner, the insulation supporting ring maybe held in place between the inner liner and the outer housing so as toform a pressure tight vapor seal between vertical sections. However,normally, it has been found that the weight of the annular plate and thesuperimposed packed insulation serves to hold the plate in place on itssupporting rings and to form an adequate vapor barrier which will efiecta pressure drop in the insulated section that is adequate to preventvapor by-passing therethrough.

Further construction features and advantages will be apparent uponreference to the accompanying drawing and to the following descriptionthereof. I

Figure '1 of the drawing is an elevational view partially in ,section ofa lined. chamber having an improved segmental type of construction andplacement for the inner liner.

Figure 2 is a partial sectional plan view through the chamber asindicated by .line -2.1' 2.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of one of the liner supporting members andthe joint construction between the vertical sections.

Figure 4 is also an enlarged sectional view indicating an alternateconstruction and assembly for the insulating support plate-ina mannerforming a tight vapor seal.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, there is shownalinedchamber having an outer housing-or shell 5 which in turn has a taperedorconicallyshapedlower head 2-ancl a flat removable upper head This upperhead may 1 be boltedto'a' flange 4 at the upper end of the chamberwall;- Thus, when the head is removed, "the housing 5 is open for-theinsertion or removal of the internal lining sections and insulating ma-'terial.

The inner liner comprises a plurality of'ring haped section-s 5positioned throughout they ylindrical portion of the-chamber, a taperingsection 6* that is especially constructed to conform with the shape ofthe lower head 2, and an upper section i which is especiallyconstructed-to hold insulating material above it and to project into aninlet oroutlet nozzle 3;connecting with-the upper head 3.

Spaced both vertically and horizontallyaround the outer housing I arerows of supporting plates 'or lugs 9 which serve to support each or theinner -liner sections. --The vertical'spacing ofthese lugs will-ofcourse dependuponthe length of thering shaped inner liner sections;While the horizontal spacingwill in-general depend uponthediameter ofthe "chamber and the weight "of the section being supported. Attached toeach-oi -the inner liner-sections, near their'upper-ends, are aplurality or" spaced supportswhich arepositioned to engage and rest-uponeach -of 'thesupporting mernbers 9 that 'attach'togthe outer housing. In

--the embodiment illustrated, eachof the support- '-ingmembers-on-thelinersections have a-top plate "wand side plates or ribs H which form asocket or pocket type of support that will rest on the various-wall lugsfi-a-nd serveto support each-of the segmental sections. At the-top endofeach of the inner liner-sections and around the outer -periphery thereofis a'stiiTening-rib l2. "Each of -the-ribs i 2 is preferably welded orotherwise fixedly attached'toeach of theinner sections and are placed-toextend above-the-top edge -of-each -section so that the-lower-end eithe-section just above will overlap it-a-nd-form aslip jointtherewith.

The size -01 the stiffening rib and the spacing tion. The radialexpansion is accommodated-by the slipping of the inner supports over theouter supporting lugs 9. In view of the fact that there will be someradial expansion and movement of the inner liner sections toward theouter housing,

5 under high temperature conditions, the insulatingmateriali-J3;is;preferably a compressible or resilient type of materialwhich can be packed between the inner lining and the outer wall andwhich will permit the slight radial expansion of the inner .10.;liningzwallpandlat the same time being a material that will not settleappreciably between the secv,tions.

Ateach of..the;slip joints or expansion joints -between, vvertical,liner sections there is positioned the insulation supporting plate Mwhich isof-an-annular-shape extending around the entirechamber betweenthe inner and outer walls.

On the outer wall 1, a continuous relatively nar- -row ring liis fixedlyattached theretotolsupport 2o..-the..outer 'eQsQ tth pla 1, 'whileithinner edge of ,each of the plates il rests on the upper .surface.oiueach oil the stiiifening and joint forming ribs [2. Each'of thecontinuousstripsiiS are ...therefore necessarily placed and attached to"the .outer wall 1. opposite the upper dge of thestrips 12 thatareattached tofeach of the ring'shap'ed ..li,ner s.ections, so'thatj theplate l4 may rest in a substantially horizontal. posi ion.

.In assemblingthe liner. within the chamber, .the lower linersection,,section 6, inithisembodiment,..is lowered into the, outerhousing throu the .upper. head .andis, brou ht ,to. rest and intoposition, on the lower row. of wsupporting lugs 9. The insulatingmaterial jl3 isthen filled in to the v space between the liner. sectionand the outer wall of; the chamber.,beg nni at.the lower end and fillingit .up to. the .top ,edgejofthestrip 12.: The lower of the insulationsupportin Iplates i4 .is then lowered into place over the ,lower.section of 40 insulation, the. plate. resting on the. lower outsidestrip l 5 and. the stiffening. rib. I L01". the lower section 6.

The lower, of ,theringshaped. liner sections; 5 isthen. drqppedeinto.place,., it .being supported by ethe {plurality of ,supporting,..plates..i0.. attached theretopand the accompa ying. supporting.- .lugs9 preiectingfiromthe ontergwall at that-level. The lower end .of thesection is: fitted inside the strip 1 5:! 2 fth low rsection ia d orms.a lap dy p vpi expansioncioin will-he? nsu a in materiai :43 is thenpacked betweenbh, hnenringsectionand rtheionterwall. p: 531 3 .Mpp nndpfrth t; se t n, mas 'WithLmGIJOWerihEa C sec ion- :Ilhe. addition l.'.ring sshapedlsections. 5; andztheliupper; head:se :.:.tionll:are.insertediintothephamberginiikermam L, :ner ;.and 5 the:insulating; material. placed between a 1 themandi-therouterrwall iOf;the: chamber. :Atter placing the .uppen' liner section 1 and. theinsulat- ;--ing material thereabove, theflathead 3iisabrought-into=position andbolted-in place toithe flange. 4 1 of the ;outerhousing I and the assembly is. com- --=-pleted.

The segmentalconstruction serves-to out the magnitude=0hthe-long-itudinalexpansion for a -=lo ng-- cl'1amber- -by-providingfora-plurality--of smallerexpansions -ateach slip 'joint between thesuperimposed sections. -Also,--as-notedhereinabove, the-internalpressure from the fluid stream passing 1 through the chamber-will pass-through each -of the a slip --joints or QXDa-nsiorr joints andbeiexerted behind each "of the inner liner sections --so-that-o1 rlynominal thickness liner sections'need be used. However, by the use "of asubstantial thickness of insulating material l3, the temperature at theouter wall can be lowered sufiiciently such that the outer shell I maybe designed to withstand the particular operating pressure withoutresorting to excessively low design stresses and a normal steelthickness used as a result.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawing, there is indicated a slightlydifferent embodiment of the liner in that the insulation supportingplate 14 is bolted into place to insure its maintaining its properposition between the various sections of the liner and to serve as avapor stop in the insulation zone. Where there is a compact contact bedmaintained within the chamber and there is a high pressure drop throughthe bed it may be advisable to have substantially pressure tight vaporseals between each of the vertical sections of insulating material sothat there will be no by-passing of vapors in the insulation from oneend of the chamber to the other. In this embodiment the stiffening ribI2 is formed from a small size channel having an upper flange suitableto hold a gasket I6 between it and the support plate I4. The upperflange of the rib l2 is tapped to accommodate a plurality of spacedbolts I? which will hold the plate and gasket rigidly thereto. The outersupporting strip I5 is likewise tapped to accommodate a plurality ofbolts or machine screws l8 which hold the outer periphery of the annularplate l4. Also, a continuous gasket I9 is placed between the strip and.the bolted edge of the plate M, to provide a substantially pressuretight connection thereto. In each case holes at the inner and outeredges of the annular plate [4' for the bolts I1 and l8, may be providedslightly oversize, or slotted radially with respect to the center of thechamber, so that radial expansion of the inner liner sections withrespect to the outer shell of the chamber may be accommodated.

The aforegoing description refers to the inner liner sections as analloy metal liner suitable for resisting high temperatures or corrosiveattack from chemicals, however, it is not intended to limit thisinvention to a liner utilizing only an al- 10y metal for in someinstances, the same construction and form of liner may be accomplishedby utilizing a resinous or plastic material or a porcelain covered sheetwhich will have suitable strength and stiffness to maintain theinsulating material in place and where necessary support the pressurefrom a contact bed of material housed within the interior of thechamber. Also, it is not intended to limit the lining to any particularform of insulating material other than one which is capable ofwithstanding the temperature condition from the gaseous or vaporousreactant streams. In addition the material must be of a resilient typethat will not settle over a period of time.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lined chamber comprising in combination a pressure retaining outerhousing having a removable upper head, a segmental liner within andspaced from said outer housing, said liner comprising a plurality ofring-shaped sections of a size adapted to be inserted into said housingthrough said removable head, spaced supporting members attached to theinner wall of said housing, other supporting members attached to each ofsaid liner sections and spaced to engage and rest on said supportingmembers of said housing wall, a continuous strip attached outside thetop of each ring section and extending a short distance thereabove, saidstrip providing a slip joint with the adjacent ring section, aninsulating material between said liner and said outer housing, anannular shaped insulation supporting plate resting on each of saidcontinuous strips and positioned between'said housing wall and saidliner at each of said slip joints, and inlet and out let openings tosaid lined chamber at the ends thereof.

2. The lined chamber of claim 1 further characterized in that said innerliner is a heat resistant metallic alloy and that said insulatingmaterial between said liner and said outer housing is of a resilientnature.

3. A lined chamber for hot fluid streams comprising a verticallypositioned pressure tight outer housing of a substantial thickness, aremovable upper head to said housing, a segmental alloy metal linercomprising a plurality of relatively thin ring-shaped sections eachbeing adapted to be placed into said housing through said upper head,horizontally and vertically spaced supporting lugs attached to theinterior of said housing wall and spaced supporting members on each ofsaid ring shaped liner sections arranged to engage and rest on saidsupporting lugs, a continuous channel-shaped rib attached around theupper end of each of said ring-shaped sections and extending a shortdistance thereabove, each of said ribs forming a slip joint with thelower end of the section thereabove, a plurality of relatively narrowcontinuous ribs attached to and extending around the inside wall of saidouter housing, last said ribs being positioned in a manner to beopposite the upper flange of each of said channel shaped ribs that areattached to said liner sections, annular shaped plates positionedbetween said housing wall and said inner liner at each of said slipjoints, said plates resting on said continuous ribs which attach to saidouter wall and on the upper flanges of each of said channel shaped ribsattached to the ring shaped liner sections, a high temperature resistantinsulating material packed between said outer housing and said liner,said insulation being vertically supported by said annular shapedplates, an inlet and outlet means to said lined chamber at the endsthereof.

4. The lined chamber of claim 3 further characterized in that saidinsulating material between said inner liner and said outer housing isof a resilient nature,

5. The lined chamber of claim 4 still further characterized in that saidannular shaped insulation supporting plates are removably bolted to saidcontinuous ribs, and heat resisting gaskets are placed between saidplates and ribs providing thereby a plurality of substantially pressuretight vapor stops of said plates that are spaced throughout saidinsulating material.

ROBERT B. COLLINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Williams May 7, 1929 Benner Aug. 29,1930 Sitton Jan. 28, 1938 Brown June 5, 1942 Number

